4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP) Press Statement 21 May 2014 – For Immediate ReleaseVOTE FOR LONDON’S BETTER FUTURE IN A BETTER EUROPE – EACH UNITED IN DIVERSITY Tomorrow (Thurs – 22 May), the British will be the first in Europe to vote in this year’s key European elections. This evening (Wed – 21 May), the President of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) Sir Mike Rake will warn British firms that the risk of Britain leaving the EU is already causing uncertainty and jeopardizing future UK inward investment. Speaking ahead of today’s (Wed – 21 May) CBI annual dinner in London, 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP) leader Dirk Hazell said: “The British government must heed this clear warning. The UK must not be dragged out of the EU because the Conservative Party under Cameron is infiltrated by the UKIP militant tendency. London’s future is at the heart of Europe. Yes, the EU needs reforming but this should be done by working with our partners instead of constantly criticising from the side lines. Britain is a great country with a great people, united in diversity and capable of leading not leaving the EU.” “As the EU, steered by Europe’s leading party the mainstream centre-right EPP European People's Party, reforms during the next five years, only 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP) can offer Londoners a strong voice inside the EPP. The EPP political family plans to create millions of new jobs through wide-ranging European reforms and initiatives such as the EU digital single market. By working within the mainstream, we will deliver real results for London and beyond – including completing the single market, launched twenty-five years ago as a British Conservative initiative substantially conceived by me. We will bring people together, not drive them apart”, noted Hazell. British PM David Cameron has effectively lost control of his small fringe Euro-Group. Since January 2013, Tory-led ECR Group MEPs have voted two-thirds of the time with Farage’s UKIP-led EFD MEPs: making themselves jointly amongst the European Parliament’s least influential MEPs. In contrast, 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP) MEPs will guarantee British input into EPP action on jobs, prosperity and security. One British MEP in the EPP will be worth more to Britain than UKIP’s entire delegation. “As a past Tory party leader, William Hague - and his then-adviser George Osborne - must remember sitting with mainstream centre-right leaders at regular EPP Summits. Hague and Osborne must now know beyond doubt how serious a mistake Cameron made in ordering Tory MEPs to leave the EPP in 2009, surrendering the valuable chance to shape European policy from within”, said Hazell.Joining Hazell on BBC TV’s Daily Politics Show, former CBI head, Digby Jones agreed that Cameron was wrong to flounce out of the powerful mainstream EPP Group. “Cameron puts his own survival as party leader ahead of the British national interest, taking Britain to the brink of Brexit. The Hannan bandwagon of UKIP sympathisers is taking over, dragging the Conservative party over the edge. – Instead, we will start to repair the damage Cameron created”, said Hazell. The 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP) offers London voters a positive platform of policies, reflecting a refreshing and forward-looking interpretation of mainstream centre ground and centre-right values. This new British political party embraces the 4 fundamental EU freedoms of movement for people, goods, services and capital – plus the 4 freedoms outlined in US President FD Roosevelt’s iconic 1941 State of the Union address, namely: freedoms of speech and worship, freedoms from want and fear. “Our EPP values combine a strong economy with dignity for the retired and vulnerable. We believe in social and environmental justice. We have a cast iron commitment, sadly under attack from others in Britain, to guarantee human rights”, stated Hazell: “British votes on Thursday count towards building political groupings in Brussels. A vote for the wrong party risks creating new hard and far right political groupings in the European Parliament that will try to reduce our European freedoms.” “We must challenge UKIP’s anti-EU fear mongers and fellow travellers: their distortion of the past and present, their oppressive view of the future. As our EPP Commission Presidential candidate Jean-Claude Juncker told journalists in Brussels this afternoon (Wed – 21 May): ‘Do vote, but do not give your votes to extremists, xenophobes or fascists, as they unfortunately continue to exist in Europe. If we want Europe to function and to serve its citizens, we should vote for people who will work hard in the next European Parliament, who will defend European values and fundamental rights, which continue to come under regular attack both at home and abroad.’” concluded Hazell.Europe’s leading city: London - Europe’s leading party: EPP ENDSEditor’s Note: The 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP) is fielding a full list of eight candidates in the London region on Thursday 22 May, and has the political support of the EU’s largest political family, the mainstream centre-right EPP. Elected 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP) MEPs will join the EPP Group in the European Parliament when it reconvenes in the first week of July.